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Food tours in Phnom Penh: what to eat and which tour to book
Phnom Penh eats early and on the street. Breakfast is kuy teav noodle soup or bai sach chrouk (grilled pork on rice) from a stall that may be gone by 10:00; lunch is rice with whatever curries and soups a family stall has cooked that morning; and the evening brings grills, noodle carts and beer gardens. Khmer cooking is less fiery than Thai food and leans on sourness, fresh herbs and prahok, the fermented fish paste that seasons almost everything. The big markets — Central Market (Psar Thmei) and the Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Poung) — have cooked-food sections where you can sit and point. Prices are quoted in both US dollars and riel, with small change usually given in riel.
Use this page to decide what to eat and where. The dishes and areas below say what each place does well and when to go. The tours listed are real GetYourGuide listings, with prices as seen when we checked; prices change, so confirm on the booking page before you pay.
What to eat in Phnom Penh
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it | Typical price* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noodle soup kuy teav (គុយទាវ) | Rice noodles in a clear pork broth with sliced pork, meatballs or seafood, topped with fried garlic and herbs; you season it yourself with lime, chilli and sauces. The classic breakfast. | Street stalls and small noodle shops, mostly in the morning; also in market food sections. | roughly $1.50–3 (about 6,000–12,000 riel) a bowl |
| Pork and rice bai sach chrouk (បាយសាច់ជ្រូក) | Thin slices of marinated pork grilled over charcoal, served on broken rice with pickled vegetables and a small bowl of broth. | Roadside stalls with a charcoal grill, early morning. | roughly $1.50–2.50 a plate |
| Khmer noodles num banh chok (នំបញ្ចុក) | Fresh, lightly fermented rice noodles topped with a fish-based green curry gravy and a pile of raw vegetables, banana blossom and herbs. Often eaten for breakfast. | Women selling from baskets and stalls in markets and on street corners, mainly in the morning. | roughly $1–2 a bowl |
| Fish amok amok trey (អាម៉ុកត្រី) | Fish steamed in a coconut-milk curry paste (kroeung), often in a banana-leaf cup. Widely seen as a signature Khmer dish. | Khmer restaurants rather than street stalls; quality varies a lot, so choose busy Khmer places over tourist cafés. | roughly $4–9 in a restaurant |
| Beef lok lak lok lak (ឡុកឡាក់) | Stir-fried cubes of marinated beef served with rice, salad, a fried egg and a lime, salt and black pepper dipping sauce. | Almost every Khmer restaurant and many cafés. | roughly $3–7 a plate |
| Baguette sandwich nom pang (នំបុ័ង) | A legacy of the French period: a baguette filled with pâté, cold cuts or grilled meat, pickled vegetables and chilli. | Street carts and stalls, especially in the morning. | roughly $1–2 |
| Market rice-and-curry stalls bai (rice) with samlors (soups/curries) | Pots of Khmer soups, curries and stir-fries cooked in the morning — sour soups (samlor machu), stews and fried fish — served over rice. Point at what looks good. | Food sections of Central Market (Psar Thmei), the Russian Market and Orussey Market, mainly at lunchtime. | roughly $2–4 a plate |
| Iced coffee and sugar-cane juice iced coffee with condensed milk; tuk ampov (sugar-cane juice) | Strong coffee with sweetened condensed milk over ice, and freshly pressed sugar-cane juice from roadside presses. | Street stalls and market drink stands. | roughly $0.75–2 |
Where to eat: markets and neighbourhoods
Central Market (Psar Thmei)
The yellow Art Deco domed market in the centre, with a cooked-food section and fresh produce, meat and fish around the sides.
Russian Market (Psar Toul Tom Poung)
Covered market in the Toul Tom Poung area, known to visitors for clothes and souvenirs but with a food section serving noodles, rice dishes and drinks to traders and shoppers. The surrounding streets have cafés and restaurants popular with residents.
Orussey Market (Psar O'Russey)
Large, very local wholesale and retail market with fresh produce, dried fish, spices and cooked food; few tourists.
Riverside (Sisowath Quay)
Promenade along the Tonle Sap river with restaurants, bars and evening snack sellers. Convenient but tourist-oriented; locals come in the evening for the breeze and street snacks.
BKK1 and Toul Tom Poung
Residential areas with many Khmer restaurants, cafés and street stalls used by local office workers and residents, plus international restaurants.
Food tours in Phnom Penh compared
Every tour below is a real listing on GetYourGuide or Viator, checked on 2 Oct 2026. Prices move with season and group size, so treat them as a guide and confirm on the booking page.
| Tour | Length | Price* | Group | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phnom Penh’s Hands-On Khmer Cooking Class in the Countryside | 4 hours | from €31 per person | max 10 | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
| Phnom Penh: Evening Food Tour with Drinks & Tuk Tuk Included | 4 - 4.5 hours | from €44 per person | — | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
| Hidden Phnom Penh: Food Tour by Tuk Tuk | 4 hours | from €61 per person | — | First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide. | Check dates |
| Phnom Penh: Street Art & Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk | 4 hours | from €31 per person | — | First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go. | Check dates |
| Phnom Penh Night Foodie Vespa Tour / Tuk Tuk Available | 4 - 4.5 hours | from €44 per person | — | Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark. | Check dates |
| Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour -On Promotion Price limit Offer | 4 - 4.5 hours | from €35 per person | — | Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients. | Check dates |
Phnom Penh’s Hands-On Khmer Cooking Class in the Countryside
On GetYourGuide · run by Meet The Province
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €31 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 49 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Group size
- max 10
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Phnom Penh: Evening Food Tour with Drinks & Tuk Tuk Included
On GetYourGuide · run by Siem Reaper Travel
- Length
- 4 - 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €44 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 260 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Included
- English-speaking tour guide Local foods tasting at different spots Soft drinks and cold beer Water Travel insurance Personal expenses
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
Hidden Phnom Penh: Food Tour by Tuk Tuk
On GetYourGuide · run by Urban Forage Food and Art Tours
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €61 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 244 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers who want a broad tasting of the classics with a local guide.
Phnom Penh: Street Art & Food Tour by Tuk-Tuk
On GetYourGuide · run by Siem Reaper Travel
- Length
- 4 hours
- Price
- from €31 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 77 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- First-timers on a budget who want to try many cheap dishes in one go.
Phnom Penh Night Foodie Vespa Tour / Tuk Tuk Available
On GetYourGuide · run by Vespa Backstreet
- Length
- 4 - 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €44 per person
- Rating
- 5.0 ★ from 50 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- Evening eaters who want dinner and drinks rolled into one, plus the city after dark.
Phnom Penh Evening Food Tour -On Promotion Price limit Offer
On GetYourGuide · run by Vespa Backstreet
- Length
- 4 - 4.5 hours
- Price
- from €35 per person
- Rating
- 4.9 ★ from 36 reviews (on 3 Oct 2026)
- Suits
- Travellers who want to cook the dishes again at home; easiest option for dietary needs, since you control the ingredients.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Street food, sit-down or a cooking class?
Street food
Street food is the default and very cheap. Breakfast stalls for noodle soup, pork and rice and num banh chok open at dawn and often finish by mid-morning; evening brings grills and snack carts. Go where locals are queuing and food is cooked fresh in front of you.
Sit-down meals
Sit-down Khmer restaurants serve amok, lok lak, sour soups and grilled fish, usually shared family-style with rice. Large Khmer restaurants and beer gardens fill up in the evening with local families and groups; tourist cafés by the riverside cost more for less authentic food.
Cooking classes
Cooking classes usually include a market visit to buy herbs and vegetables, then a set menu such as fish amok, a salad, a curry and a dessert. They typically last about 3–4 hours; check whether pick-up and the market visit are included.
How much to budget for food
| Style | Per person, per day* |
|---|---|
| Budget (street food, markets) | about $8–15 (€7–13): street breakfast, market lunch, simple Khmer dinner |
| Mid-range (one sit-down meal a day) | about $20–35 (€18–30): street breakfast and two sit-down meals with a drink |
| Splurge (tasting menus, wine) | about $50+ (€45+): a contemporary Khmer restaurant with drinks |
Vegetarian, halal and gluten-free
Vegetarian & vegan: Harder than it looks: prahok (fermented fish paste), fish sauce and dried shrimp are in most dishes, and broths are usually meat-based. Carry a note in Khmer saying no meat, no fish sauce (tuk trey) and no prahok. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants and international cafés are the easiest options.
Halal: The Cham Muslim community runs halal stalls and restaurants, and there are halal places in the centre and along some main roads; elsewhere pork is very common. Ask for 'halal' and look for Cham or Malay-run places.
Gluten-free: Rice and rice noodles are naturally gluten-free, which helps, but soy sauce and oyster sauce containing wheat are common in stir-fries and marinades. Simple rice dishes, grilled fish and many soups are safer; communication can be a barrier, so carry a written note in Khmer.
Food scams and tourist traps to avoid
- Menus without prices, or a 'foreigner price' at market and street stalls. Ask the price before you order, ideally in riel, and watch what locals pay. Most stalls have a fixed price per bowl.
- Change returned in worn or torn US dollar notes, which shops then refuse. Check notes when you receive them; Cambodian businesses commonly refuse damaged dollar bills. Use small riel notes for street food.
- Tuk-tuk drivers steering you to particular restaurants or 'cooking shows' where they receive a commission. Give the driver the name and address of the place you have chosen, or book through a ride-hailing app.
Top tours & activities in Phnom Penh
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Staying near the markets saves time and taxi money — most food tours start in the old centre.
Common questions
Should I pay in dollars or riel?
Both are used everywhere. Larger prices are often in US dollars, while small amounts and change under one dollar are in riel, at roughly 4,000 riel to $1. Carry small riel notes for street food and drinks, and keep dollar notes clean and undamaged, because torn or worn bills are often refused.
Is street food in Phnom Penh safe?
Most visitors eat street food without problems. Pick busy stalls where food is cooked to order, eat breakfast dishes early while they are fresh, and be more careful with raw herbs, salads and crushed ice if your stomach is sensitive. Do not drink tap water; bottled and filtered water is cheap and everywhere.
Do I need to tip?
Tipping is not traditional at street stalls. In sit-down restaurants, leaving roughly 5–10% or rounding up is appreciated, as wages are low. Some restaurants add a service charge; check the bill. Guides on tours usually appreciate a few dollars per person.
What time do people eat?
Phnom Penh starts very early. Breakfast stalls open around 6:00 and many are finished by 9:00–10:00, so go early for noodle soup and pork and rice. Lunch is around 11:00–13:00, when markets and stalls are busiest, and dinner from about 18:00. Many street stalls close by around 21:00, while beer gardens stay open later.
Is Khmer food spicy?
Generally less than Thai food. Khmer cooking balances sour, salty and sweet, and chilli is usually served on the side for you to add. The stronger flavour for most visitors is prahok, the fermented fish paste, which appears in dips and many dishes; ask about it if you are unsure.
How much should I budget for food per day?
On a tight budget, roughly $8–15 a day covers street breakfasts, market lunches and a simple dinner. With two sit-down Khmer meals and a drink, expect about $20–35. Contemporary Khmer or international restaurants in BKK1 and along the riverside cost noticeably more, often $15–30 per person for dinner.
* Prices are approximate, gathered on 2 Oct 2026 from menus, markets and the booking pages linked above. They change with season and exchange rates.